Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-04-17


bonds. They considered certain classe
, OF people unable to resist its temptations
and therefore threw around them tn
strong arm of the law. Public opinion
gradually advanced, and finally crystal
LIED in 1873 The people demanded tn
law changed so as to prohibit the liquo
, traffic within certain localIties-this to b.
determined by msj .rity vote of TIT
county, precinct or town, or city, as TIT
case might be; and the constitutional con
vention Of 1875 submitted, and the peopl'
adopted section 20 in article l6, of tht
constitution, which took effect in 1876, q!
follows, to wit:
cart. I6, Sec. 90 The legislature shall
at its first session, enact law whereby
the qualified voters CT any county, jus
tees precinct, town or city, by 6 major
ity vote, from time to time, may deter
mine whether the sale of Intoxicating
liquors shall be prohibited within thepre
scribed limits" r.,
The Legislature enacted laws as requires
to carry this law into effect, which are
still in force Under this provision anG
the law many counties, precincts, 40 WINS
and cities have voted prohibition, ai1asthe
subject has mad very full discussion, Sand
consideration by the people. This pre-
vision, however, did not reach
its Manufacture, and only pro
hited the sale without any
exceptions, aud was directed against the
most prominent partsof the business; but
il was not broad enougb-it did nottover
( the entire su liect and deal with it wisely
and cOnservatively. Experience and dis
cdssion soon demonstrated that local OPP
ton was not sufficiently comprehensive
TO protect society against this evil, and
/ hence, another step forward WIS made;in
! this great reform. Ten years oEtrial and
discussion have educated public 4RiniOn
among the masses; they feel the want OF
an organic law that shall be co-extensive
with the state and shaH-Put to rest the
constantly recurring elections in the
small political divisions Of the state.
I These frequent elections engspder strife
and luminosity among individuals and
classes, and have to be often repeated to
bring quiet and a settled rule of action.
/ Public opinion has again Grystalized,
made a new demand-this time for 4
change that shall reach the people Of the
whole commonwealth.
I repeat the question: Is it eXpe-
dieat ana righ% to prohibit the manufac-
! ture and sale of Intoxicating liquors as 8
+ beverage? The power exists to do 50,
/ The amendment is sufficient, If adopted,
to effect the purpose desired. Are the
+ reasons for it strong enough to justify the
vote? In the general address tOt the com
miltee the exact issue is presenteAs
"The one Issue then is this: Are there
good and sufficient reasons why the peo-
Die Of Texas, in their sovereign capacity,
shall prohibit in tBa. state Bounds the
manufacture and sale-oii ardent spirits as
4 beverage: "a
'That is To say, will it.add to the vel
fare Of the whole people OF Texas to sup
. press rbe liquor traffic for the purpose
stated? win it enhance our material in
tterest5? WiITAt give q bet ter tone to So
ciety? VIII igSsnd to the amelioratiOn
of poverty, the Prevention, and suppress
sion of vice and cTiaese VIII it add to
/ the security of government by developing
! better and more reliable citizens? VIII
ii help toward the purity of elections, I'M
biased legislation, Righteous municipal
government, and viii it decrease the
enormous burdens imposed upon the Deo-
I pie in the outlay for The administration
! Of Justice by the courts and for police,
, iails and penEtentiaries? In q word, is it
Wright"
/ Let every voter examine himself as an
/ integral part of the government and
upon whom rests a solemn duty to create,
maintains and perpetuate good govern
ment-ask himself if the liquor traffic will
/ add to the sum of human blessings and
! aid IN giving US better security and gov
| eminent? But if&he, concludes that it
/ corrupts and destroys the best interests
of our people, and it's tendency is to
weaken the strongest props of good and
stable government, then vote for the
adoption of the amendment.
Prohibition is 8 reform movement. The
history of prohibition for the last forty
years in America, shows it to be reform
movement, instituted by the people to
/ restrain the evils and abuses of the liquor
! trs 1ic. Is began with the people ii the
tpoDuiOus cenLers, where the evils have
Ebeen greatest, and it has been gaining
, strength and pro6teasing, step by step,
until the masses of the people understand
it's subtle powers aaG bI2hlng effects
u OG society AID good government. No
great reform ever moved backward, and
all well foundedTeforms begin with and
are cOnSumn1htea@hy the people, as con-
tradistirguishrd fr0fA their leaders. The
people are generally IN advance Of their
leaders on subjects of vital concern to
their progress. THE people always in
tend to do right, and if mislead for the
time being, will, in time, correct their
errors, overthrow their false guides. and
; march forward: The leaders Of party, it is
true, are but the opponents Of the priuCi-
/ pies then hGld.by the people, and are but
transient and pass rapidly from the stage
of action. But the people, like the prin-
ciples of trutB abide, and must ever
! struggle for better conditions and more
enduring blessings. The true leader of
/ the peopIesvfews their versatile interests
/ in the aggregate, then gensralizes its re-
suits, formulates plans and policies that
will cffectually carry out their real inten-
lions. Leaders rarely add anything to
| the ideas and inspirations they draw
Bfrom the people. Reforms are often re-
! tarded- by sham leaders of the people,
| wlfo, by superior cunning, and with
self n ends in sight, decOy them from
| the most direct line to the given end
| but this is only temporary, and generally
/ ends IN disgrace for the pretender, and a
bolder march for the cause.
In Texas, the progress of this reform
has been carefully observed, clearly de-
fined, and distinctly noted. The people,
as the source Of political power,
instructed their agents to legis-
late upon the subject, and have
struggled by different methods to re-
strain and suppress its abuses. The
very existence of such an issue furnishes
evidence of the high plane our people
have reached in intelligence and Christian
civilization. Such a question could
berdIv beva hpen nOSSjble among an